The government has extended the tenure of the acting chairman of Coal India Ltd (CIL) N C Jha for another three months amidst continuing delays in the selection and appointment of a suitable candidate for the top post at the state-run company.

Jha, who holds the post of director (technical) in the public sector firm, was given the additional charge of chairman and managing director (CMD) after the retirement of Partha S Bhattacharyya on 28 February this year.

"In terms of the ministry of coal order dated August 30, 2011, N C Jha... has assumed the additional charge of CMD, CIL, with effect from September 1, 2011, for a period of three months or till a regular appointment is made or until further orders, whichever is earlier," CIL said in a filing with the BSE.

The decision comes in the wake of vigilance clearance delays of the contender for the top post at the firm, according to a company official.

Jha's tenure was earlier extended by the coal ministry for a period of three months in June.

Chairman of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL), Tapas Kumar Lahiry, a subsidiary of CIL, had emerged as the top contender for the post CIL at the time of conclusion of the selection process in November 2010. Also among those shortlisted for the post was D C Garg, CMD of Western Coalfields Ltd.

CIL accounts for more than 80 per cent of the total coal production in the country.